Hinge-device and method

ABSTRACT

A hinge for use with glass doors having solid frames includes a split hinge element for embracing a pivot in the frame around the door and providing a means and method of hanging the door.

United States Patent [191 Horgan, Jr.

[11] 3,828,394 ]*Aug. 13,1974

HINGE-DEVICE AND METHOD Inventor: William J. Horgan, Jr., Pittsburgh,

Blumcraft of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.

The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to Jan. 1, 1988, has been disclaimed.

Filed: Dec. 5, 1972 Appl. No.: 312,363

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 107,232, Jan. 18, I971, Pat. No. 3,722,029.

Assignee:

Notice:

US. Cl 16/129, 49/388, 49/501 Int. Cl E05d 7/08 [58] Field of Search 16/129, 131, 134; 49/388,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,l9i,900 2/1940 Pariot 49/388 X 3,555,733 l/l97l HorganJr. I6/l3l X Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay Assistant ExaminerPeter A. Aschenbrenner Attorney, Agent, or FirmPaul and Paul [5 7] ABSTRACT A hinge for use with glass doors having solid frames includes a split hinge element for embracing a pivot in the frame around the door and providing a means and method of hanging the door.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures HINGE-DEVICE AND METHOD CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior copending application Ser. No. 107,232, filed Jan. 18, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,029 entitled, Combined Hinge and Glass Door Unit, and discloses and claims in part the subject matter disclosed and claimed in that application and the application cross-referenced therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to hinges, and in particular, to a novel hinge and method for use in hanging doors.

In the prior art, glass doors of the type used in commercial establishments having a metal frame including a top and bottom shoe, were hung by means of pivottype hinges connected to the top and bottom shoes. The advantages of my new combined hinges over the prior art are fully set forth in my prior copending applications referred to above.

While my prior applications represent an improvement over the art, I have noted that it is desirable to provide for hanging the door when both top and bottom pivots are fixed in place in the doorway.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a means for pivotally mounting a glass door, which includes solid frame members, when it pivots are in place in the doorway prior to inserting the door. The device comprises a split hinge means externally engaging the frame portion of the door and bearing against it, and rotatably engaging a means fixed to the pivot upon which the door is mounted. The method provides a way of inserting and hanging a door in a doorway in which the fixed pivots are already mounted.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel hinge which is adaptable for the above use with existing pivots and which provides for the new method of hanging disclosed more fully hereinafter.

This and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a door shown in place in a doorway utilizing a hinge in accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention, with an alter-- nate position of the door shown in phantom;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 33 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the door frame, hinge and pivot in accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Although specific forms of the invention have been selected for illustration in the drawings, and the following description is drawn in specific terms for purpose of describing these forms of the invention, this description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the Figures, FIG. 1 shows a door designated generally 10 which includes a glass panel 11 and a metal frame including a top shoe 12 and a bottom shoe 14. The door is supported by pivot type hinges attached to the top and bottom shoes and the supporting frame and door structure.

The bottom shoe 14 has attached to it a hinge designated generally 16, FIG. 1, which supports the door and provides a means about which it pivots. This hinge is shown more in detail in FIG. 2. The hinge is disposed on a floor mounted pintle designated generally 18, FIG. 2 which is a standard item well known in the art. This pintle is mounted to a plate fixed in the floor. The bearing race 20 is curved inwardly toward the upper end to accept the mating hinge member 22. My invention insofar as this hinge means is concerned lies in the fact that the door with the hinge 16 thereon can be inserted over the fixed pivot when held at an angle in the doorway (as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1) and then raised to the full vertical position.

The upper hinge 24 is more clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and comprises a generally box-like rectangular housing formed of mating portions 26 and 28. The housing has a peripheral groove about three sides so that it fits snuggly into a rectangular notch in the shoe l2, overlapping and engaging the sides of the shoe with its supporting flanges. The mating portions are the principal structural difference between this hinge-device and that shown in my prior copending application (incorporated herein by reference). Accordingly, the other parts will be described herein only in general terms.

The housing has a bore which has fitted therein a cap 29 receiving the pintle 30. The pintle is normally retained in the structure surrounding the door by any suitable means well known in the art and provides the means whereby the upper portion of the door is retained and pivoted.

The housing and cap remain fixedly engaged to the pintle while the frame and glass portion of the door is movable with respect to the housing.

The hinge just described provides for lateral adjustment of the door with respect to the upper pintle.

The assembled housing 26-28 has a blind bore which accepts the cap 29. The cap is substantially cylindrical. The sides of the cap rotatably engage the sides of the bore. The cap has an axial hole 34 to accommodate the pintle 30 in sliding engagement.

The cap 29 has an ear 36 extending from one side into a clearance slot 38 which extends from one side of the bore in the housing. A set screw 40 is threaded laterally through the ear 36 to engage the pintle 30 and retain the cap 29 in place thereon prior to positioning the door in the doorway and assembling the housing. On either side of the housing, set screws are threaded through the walls to engage the ear. By advancing one set screw relatively more than the other, the housing can be rotated about the cap. By tightening both set screws against the ear, the housing can be fixed in position with respect to the cap.

To retain the housing portions 26 and 28 a plurality of machine screws 42, 44 are provided which are disposed in counterbored holes in member 28 to be threaded into mating holes in member 26. After final 46, 48 are placed about the housing and attached thereto by fastening screws 50.

For installation, the cap 29 is inserted over the pintle 30 and the set screw is tightened to hold it in place. Next, the hinge 16 is fixedly attached to the shoe 14 and then the door is inserted into the doorway by placing the hinge 16 over the pintle which is fixedly attached to the threshold. Next the door is raised to the full vertical position with the housing portion 26 in the slot in shoe 12, so that, as the door is raised, the cap 29 will enter the housing portion 26. The ear 36 normally lies in the plane of the doorway so that as the door is raised to the vertical and positioned about the cap 29 it will normally be rotated about the pivots so that it is situate in the plane of the doorway. In this manner the ear 36 will lie in the slot 38. Then the remaining portion 28 is fixedly attached to the portion 26 by means of the screws 42, 44 to form an assembled housing.

Final pivotal adjustment and lateral adjustment can then be made by means of the screws and adjustment means fully described in my prior copending applications. Lastly, the plates 46 and 48 are mounted on the housing for decorative purposes and to prevent tampering with the adjustment means.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangement of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

It will be further understood that the Abstract of the Disclosure" set forth above is intended to provide a non-legal technical statement of the contents of the disclosure in compliance with the Rules of Practice of the United States Patent Office, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention described and claimed herein.

What is claimed is:

l. A hinge-device for use with the frame portion of a door and mating rotatable pintle element, comprismg:

a. cap means engaging said pintle for rotation therewith; and

b. housing means adjustably rotatably engaging said cap means, and overlapping and engaging said frame; said housing means comprising at least two separable portions, each of which engages said cap means in assembled condition.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said housing means includes a body having a peripheral groove about a portion thereof thereby forming flanges overlapping and engaging said frame in a snug fit; said flanges being formed on said separable portions.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said cap means comprises a cap having an ear extending from one side thereof and said housing means comprises a body having a substantially cylindrical hole therein for receiving said cap in sliding engagement with the cylindrical por tion thereof and a clearance slot for reception of said ear; and adjustment means coacting with said body and said ear for providing rotational adjustment for said door with respect to said pintle; said clearance slot being formed by said separable portions in assembled condition.

4. A hinge-device for use with the frame portion of a door having a notched recess in its shoe a predetermined distance from each end of the shoe and mating rotatable pintle element, comprising:

a. cap means engaging said pintle for rotation therewith; and b. housing means adjustably rotatably engaging said cap means, and overlapping and engaging said frame; said housing means comprising at least two separable portions, a first of said separable portions being configured to mate in said notched recess and to be substantially flush with said door in at least one side, a second one of said separable portions overlapping said first separable portion on said flush part thereof, said portions engaging said cap means in assembled condition, said housing means further including first and second plate means respectively covering said separable portions and being affixed to said separable portions.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein said first separable portion and said second separable portion are joined by screw means transverse to the plane of the door.

6. The invention of claim 4, wherein said first and second plate means are attached to said first and second separable portions by screw means transverse to the plane of the door.

7. The invention of claim 4, wherein said first and second separable portions each have at least two exterior surfaces one of which being parallel to the plane of said door, said first and second plate means being formed such that each covers at least two exterior surfaces of associated separable portions, one of said surfaces being that surface parallel with the plane of the door, the edges of said plate means being substantially flush with six edges of said associated separable means.

8. A hinge-device for use with the frame portion of a door having a notched recess in its upper shoe a predetermined distance from each end of the shoe and mating rotatable pintle element, comprising:

a. cap means comprising a cap having a cylindrical portion and an ear extending from one side thereof and engaging said pintle for rotation therewith; and

b. housing means adjustably rotatably engaging said cap means and overlapping and engaging said frame, said housing means comprising at least two separable portions, a first one of said separable portions being configured to mate in said notched recess and to be substantially flush with said door on at least one side, a second one of said separable portions overlapping said first separable portion on said substantial flush portion thereof, said portions engaging said cap means in assembled condition such that said separable portions form a body having a substantially cylindrical hole therein for receiving said cap in sliding engagement with the cylindrical portion thereof and a clearance slot for reception of said ear; an adjustment means coacting with said body and said ear for providing rotational adjustment for said door with respect to said pintle; said housing means further including first and second plate means respectively covering said separable portions and being respectively affixed to associated separable portions; first screw means, said separable portions being joined together by screw means transverse to the plane of the door; and second screw means and said plate means being joined to the separable portions by screw means transverse to the plane of the door. 

1. A hinge-device for use with the frame portion of a door and mating rotatable pintle element, comprising: a. cap means engaging said pintle for rotation therewith; and b. housing means adjustably rotatably engaging said cap means, and overlapping and engaging said frame; said housing means comprising at least two separable portions, each of which engages said cap means in assembled condition.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said housing means includes a body having a peripheral groove about a portion thereof thereby forming flanges overlapping and engaging said frame in a snug fit; said flanges being formed on said separable portions.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said cap means comprises a cap having an ear extending from one side thereof and said housing means comprises a body having a substantially cylindrical hole therein for receiving said cap in sliding engagement with the cylindrical portion thereof and a clearance slot for reception of said ear; and adjustment means coacting with said body and said ear for providing rotational adjustment for said door with respect to said pintle; said clearance slot being formed by said separable portions in assembled condition.
 4. A hinge-device for use with the frame portion of a door having a notched recess in its shoe a predetermined distance from each end of the shoe and mating rotatable pintle element, comprising: a. cap means engaging said pintle for rotation therewith; and b. housing means adjustably rotatably engaging said cap means, and overlapping and engaging said frame; said housing means comprising at least two separable portions, a first of said separable portions being configured to mate in said notched recess and to be substantially flush with said door in at least one side, a second one of said separable portions overlapping said first separable portion on said flush part thereof, said portions engaging said cap means in assembled condition, said housing means further including first and second plate means respectively covering said separable portions and being affixed to said separable portions.
 5. The invention of claim 4, wherein said first separable portion and said second separable portion are joined by screw means transverse to the plane of the door.
 6. The invention of claim 4, wherein said first and second plate means are attached to said first and second separable portions by screw means transverse to the plane of the door.
 7. The invention of claim 4, wherein said first and second separable portions each have at least two exterior surfaces one of which being parallel to the plane of said door, said first and second plate means being formed such that each covers at least two exterior surfaces of associated separable portions, one of said surfaces being that surface parallel with the plane of the door, the edges of said plate means being substantially flush with six edges of said associated separable means.
 8. A hinge-device for use with the frame portion of a door having a notched recess in Its upper shoe a predetermined distance from each end of the shoe and mating rotatable pintle element, comprising: a. cap means comprising a cap having a cylindrical portion and an ear extending from one side thereof and engaging said pintle for rotation therewith; and b. housing means adjustably rotatably engaging said cap means and overlapping and engaging said frame, said housing means comprising at least two separable portions, a first one of said separable portions being configured to mate in said notched recess and to be substantially flush with said door on at least one side, a second one of said separable portions overlapping said first separable portion on said substantial flush portion thereof, said portions engaging said cap means in assembled condition such that said separable portions form a body having a substantially cylindrical hole therein for receiving said cap in sliding engagement with the cylindrical portion thereof and a clearance slot for reception of said ear; an adjustment means coacting with said body and said ear for providing rotational adjustment for said door with respect to said pintle; said housing means further including first and second plate means respectively covering said separable portions and being respectively affixed to associated separable portions; first screw means, said separable portions being joined together by screw means transverse to the plane of the door; and second screw means and said plate means being joined to the separable portions by screw means transverse to the plane of the door. 